Group creates award for vet employment nonprofits

Sep. 4, 2013 - 06:00AM
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The Call of Duty Endowment, a nonprofit started by the company behind the video game series, has created a new award to recognize nonprofits working to help veterans get jobs.

The endowment, backed by Activision Blizzard Inc., announced the launch of its Seal of Distinction award program Aug. 26 and presented the first such award to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation for its Hiring Our Heroes program.

Dan Goldberg, the Call of Duty Endowment’s executive director, said his organization approaches its charitable work with a “business mentality,” requiring clear plans and tangible results from the groups it recognizes and helps fund.

“We employ an approach that treats applications from prospective grant recipients like business plans. We assess them for viability and hold the organizations accountable to the outcomes they promise,” Goldberg said in a conference call.

The Chamber was awarded the Seal of Distinction after posting good results in a review by Deloitte, an audit and consulting firm, the endowment said.

Ross Cohen, senior director of Hiring Our Heroes, said the job fair program is a natural fit for the Chamber of Commerce, as it matches Chamber member organizations with highly talented military veterans and spouses, who not only need jobs but can also be great assets for companies.

“We are thrilled to be the first recipient of the Call of Duty Endowment Seal of Distinction,” Cohen said in a telephone interview.

The award comes with a $30,000 grant and could lead to additional grants, according to the Call of Duty Endowment.

Goldberg said his group has given almost $3 million in grants to 14 nonprofits to date.